I am planning to root some grocery store edible field mint (with most leaves removed and bottom and top cut) in 3 and 4 inch plastic pots. My question is, is keeping them in 2 hours of direct sunlight okay? Or should they be kept in complete shade? Last time the ones planted in 12 inch pots with 6 hours direct sunlight did very well but the 2 hour ones dried up. I don't have transparent glass tumblers for rooting in water. 
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Rooting in water or in soil?– Stephie ♦Commented Apr 27, 2021 at 8:27
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Soilless Potting mix.– Wodin TiwCommented Apr 27, 2021 at 9:47
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Updated picture. Please check if it is correctly planted.– Wodin TiwCommented Apr 27, 2021 at 10:03
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1 Answer
The fundamental problem all cuttings have is sufficient water uptake. As long as the cuttings don’t have roots, you need to keep evaporation trough the leaves to a minimum.
That’s why you shouldn’t place them in direct sunlight. Dappled shade is good because it’ll give a good balance between light for photosynthesis and less evaporation. Initially covering the cuttings with something transparent to create a mini greenhouse can also help. An inverted glass container, a cut-off plastic bottle, a sheet of cling wrap can all be a makeshift cover. Under that, you get a high humidity atmosphere that minimizes losses in the cuttings. At least once a day you should lift up the cover to give the plants a bit of fresh air and prevent mold. Now, I am not saying that it’s impossible to place the new cuttings in direct sun, some will be fine (as you observed), but overall, I would not recommend it.
For mint, I would rather stick fresh twigs in water (any clean and non-reactive container should do, just repurpose what you have around) than directly into soil, as discussed in the other Q/A.
